40 Days!
- At November 24, 2012
- By Niel
- In Blog, Writing
0
It’s getting close now! Really close! Just 40 Earth days till the 3rd of January and the publication of Sorrowline.
But the truth is it’s been published already! On the 13th of November, somewhere in a factory unit in Croydon the presses rolled on the first edition of Sorrowline. Right now I imagine there are pallets full of copies of Sorrowline getting ready to be sent out to various locations throughout the country. In my megalomaniac mind it looks something like the image above, but maybe a bit bigger. Of course the reality will be something more modest, but its fun to dream. I can’t wait to get my hands on an actual copy of the book, it’ll be like the completion of a very long journey that I started on over three years ago, or three decades ago if you count all the previous attempts to write a book.
And then, like buses, another one comes along immediately after it! I’ve completed draft two of Sorrowline’s sequel, Timesmith. I’m finishing a third draft before it goes to my agent and publisher in the next few days. Then the process of editing begins again, and, hopefully, it won’t be long before I start on book three.
I took part in my first proper interview last week. It’s for the Newcastle Journal’s Culture magazine and is out on the 4th of December. It was surprisingly enjoyable to chat about the book and my hopes for it, I only hope I didn’t say anything too stupid. This happens often. The article will also include details of a launch event happening in Newcastle at the end of January – more on that next time.
Another exciting development was Sorrowline appearing on the Love Reading 4 Kids website. They ran a competition for review copies of the book, so I’m expecting to see some opinions on the site soon from it’s target audience. The site is also hosting a preview of the book. If you register (it’s free) you can download a PDF document of the prologue and first chapter. Just click the link here: http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/8271/Sorrowline-by-Niel-Bushnell.html
Finally, here is an image I made to help explain how Jack can be in the same place twice!
The Next Big Thing!
- At November 19, 2012
- By Niel
- In Writers, Writing
- 0
So what’s all this Next Big Thing chatter in writer’s circles on Twitter? I wasn’t sure until I was tagged not once but twice! The idea, it turns out, is simple. Its a way to discover new writers, and find out a bit about what they’re up to. In return for being tagged I’ve got to answer a few questions – nothing too personal thank goodness! Oh yeah, and I’ve got to tag five other folk as the Next Big Thing!
First, the questions:
1) What is the working title of your next book?
It’s called Timesmith, and it’s the sequel to Sorrowline, my first book which is due out in January 2013.
2) Where did the idea for the book come from?
I’m not entirely sure! I jot down lots of ideas all the time, and this particular one came to me when I was researching my family tree. Sorrowline (and Timesmith) follow 12 year old Jack Morrow as he discovers he can travel through Sorrowlines – channels that connect every gravestone with the date of the person’s death. I think I’d been spending so much time looking at gravestones and death certificates that the idea must have grown from there.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Its a fantasy adventure for children aged 10 and upwards. A large part of the book is set is London during World War II, which acts as a very dramatic backdrop for the story.
4) What actor would you choose to play the part of your character in a movie rendition?
Tricky! Jack is 12 years old, so I’m not too sure who that would be. The baddy in the book, called Rouland, is easier to conjure up. He’s an immaculately turned out, super-intelligent immortal, who does a nice line in EVIL. Whoever plays him has to not only look the part, but convey someone who feels completely justified in doing the things he does. He’s not a cackling madman, far from it. He knows what he’s doing: he has a plan. When I was writing Sorrowline I went to see Michael Praed in The Sound of Music. I was watching his performance and thinking of Rouland.
But a closer fit is possibly Mark Strong who combines the air of sinister intelligence with charming good looks perfectly. And that voice! Perfect!
5) What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Join 12 year old Jack Morrow on an epic adventure in war-torn London as he fights to discover the dark secret hidden at the heart of his family and avoid the terrible tides of destiny that lead to his mother’s death. (Say that in one breath if you can!)
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m represented by the amazing Juliet Mushens, and the book is being published by Andersen Press.
7) How long did it take you to write a first draft of the manuscript?
Sorrowline took me about three months to write the first draft, then three years to edit it into a publishable condition. Timesmith has been slightly different. The first draft took me about a year, on and off, and I’ve just completed the second draft.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I think anyone who enjoyed adventure and fantasy will get a kick out of Sorrowline.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Everything I’ve ever read! I’m a big fan of comics, and the work of Alan Moore in the 80’s was a major influence. But the biggest inspiration has to be the idea. Once it took hold it was a story I had to tell.
10) What else in the book might pique the reader’s interest?
Although there are many time travel stories I think the idea of Sorrowlines is quite new. And once Jack finds his way to London in 1940 he starts to discover an entirely hidden world – a secret society that rules our own. Everything he has learned about the world is challenged, and he discovers the truth about his mother’s death. Its a story set in a much bigger world, somewhere I’m desperate to return to in future books.
Done! Not so shabby, eh? Thanks to Mari Hannah and Lou Morgan for tagging me. Now, who shall I pick? Well, I’m honour-bound to pick my buddy, Curtis Jobling, of Werworld infamy. I’ll also pick Kirsty Riddiford who I met at a Society of Authors conference, the naughty Richard Rippon, (do you have a blog, Richard?), Bryony Pearce, who has probably already been tagged, and Carolyn Jess-Cooke, (her book, The Boy who could see Demons, is highly recommended.)
Good luck Big Thingers!
60 Days!
- At November 04, 2012
- By Niel
- In Blog, Writing
- 2
60 days isn’t long, is it? Less than two months till Sorrowline is out there!
A lot has happened in the last few weeks. First up I’ve just signed off on the last round of copy edits to the Sorrowline text, so its finally done. Its a odd feeling, having stepped away from it after so long. I started writing it in September 2009, and have been tinkering with it ever since. But now its done and its time to move on. And the cover has been locked as well, so its all ready to go to the printers, which I believe is happening any time now. I have an insane urge to want to go to the printers and see it rolling off the press, but I think that’s probably getting dangerously close to Alan Partridge’s infamous trip to watch his book get pulped.
Speaking of the cover, its finally appeared on the Amazon page listing, which was brilliant to see. Little things like this make it that bit more real for me! And the back cover now includes a great quote from Stephen Cole, Doctor Who and children’s book author: ‘What a terrific idea for a creepy time-travel thriller – wish I’d thought of it!’
Completing Sorrowline has let me focus on book two, Timesmith, and I’m pleased to say I finished the first draft yesterday. I’ve got lots of editing and re-writing to do on it now, but its good to know its coming together into something resembling a book!
Finally, I took part in an interview recently for New Writing North. I won a Northern Promise Award at last years Northern Writers Awards, which helped me to get a book deal. This video is to help promote the expansion of the awards to include the North West and Yorkshire. If you enjoy writing and are thinking about taking it further I’d seriously recommend you enter the awards. You’ve got nothing to lose, and possibly lots to gain! Have a look at the video, then get writing!
